Lubricating system for differential vehicle housings



J. F. CRAWFORD LBBICATING SYSTEMl FOR DIFFERETIL VEHICLEHOUSINGS Original Filed Nov. 15l 1924 2 lSheets-sheet 1 NNN c nfl-T0@ NEX 31,1929..Y I J. F. CRAWFORD LUBRICATING SYSTFM FOR DIFFERENTIAL VEHICLE HOUSINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed'Nov. 13, 1924 IPatented Dec. 31 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT" 'OFFICE "JoIIN F. CRAWFORD, oF RACINE, WISCONSIN, AS'SIGNQR 'ro J. I. CASE COMPANY, oF i RACINE, WISCONSIN, A CoRFoRATIoN LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR DIFFERENTIAL VEHICLE HoUsINGs Originatapplication filed November 13, 1924, Serial No. 749,795. Divided and this rAugust 22, 1925.

4My present invention relates to self-pio pelled vehicles, preferably-of the tractor the rear axle; Fig. 2 a detail Section through the rear aXle cone taken on the dotted line 3 3 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a detail section through the oil chamber taken on the dotted line 4-4 in Fig. 4; 4 a detail taken on the ldotted line 5--5 in ig. 5 showing the cylindrical casing and oil-boot which I employ; and Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the dotted line 6-'6 in Fig. 4 showing saidchamber and boot.

In said drawings, Fig. 1, I have illustrated a rear axle housing of a highly `improved form, embodying bearing means for the axle sections and lubricating means for the differential and transmission gears and parts associated therewith, but it will be understood that any appropriate rear axle structure to which my improvement is applicable may be employed. The transmission housing 6'contains the cylindrical chamber, 86, en

closing the ordinary worm gear, 87, forming an extension of a transmission (not shown), said Worm meshing with Vgear wheel, 90, in' a well, known manner. Said gear wheel is' enclosed within a housing, Fig. 1, comprising the bell shaped sections 7 secured to said ltransmission housing 6, and the outer ends of which sections terminate in the hubs, 92, whichy hold the carriers, 93, which in turn are mounted on the ianged collars, 96, on axle 8 and constitute bearings forthe rollers, 98, thev lower portions of said bell housing sec- --tions 7 being secured to the transmission housing 6 by bolts, 100', substantially as shown in Fig. 1. Gear ring 90 is carried on the spindles, 102, which inturn are. clamped within a sheet metal spider comprising arms, 103, and secured thereabout by bolts, 104, said arms being also clamped at their outer Serial No. 51,883.

ends between the inner cones, 105, by bolts, 106., Each of said inner cones is preferably a unitary structure having vitsend open for the reception of axle 8, said end, 107, being connected to flanged collar 96 by rivets or bolts, 108. The spider arms 103 form part of ar spherical housing, .109, in which are seated differential gears,` 110, 111, mounted onv spindles 102, so thatin connection with the splined ends, 112, of' shaftv sections 8 said 'gears become securely meslied-and prevented from displacement. As a means for supplying oil through holesjz in the collar 96 tothe bearings at the outer ends of axle sections 8 which support thewheels 9 I secure to the 'inner sides of cones 105 spirally disposed application filed,

troughs, 114, which revolve about said axle as the cone structure 105 rota-tes by'itlie action of the differential gearing spider, 103, which pickup oil from' chamber, 115, beneath gear wheel 90,'the oil level beine` indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. gecured. to worm Wheel chamber 86 by suitable connections 86 is a semicircular boot, 117, Fig. 4, which extends approximately half Way around the periphery of gear Wheel 90 and terminates in oil chamber 115. As said gear wheel teeth travel into said boot and are immersed. in

oil, said boot, comprising in part the bottom I116 and side walls, 116', coninesthe oil between the teeth until they reach the worm wheel chamber 86 when the oil is deposited therein for lubricating worm 87. An oil level is maintained in said chamber 86 by dams, 118. sufiiciently high tov cause the oil to forcibly overfiow and be distributed through bearings contained -in said chamber and also to other portions of the transmission, and returnedy to oil chamber 115. 'As will thus be seen, by employing the rotating troughs 114 and boot`117 and maintaining an oil level in the cones 105 substantially as Shown in Fig. 2 I am enabled to distribute an oil supply to the axle and diii'erential Abearings as well as carrying sufiicient for lubrication to the Worm 87, and mechanism with which it communicates, by gear-wheel ibo y the walls of the boot and positively elevate a plentiful supply of oil intothe cylindrical chamber 86 in such quantities as to lubricate and flood the worm 87, thus maintaining the latter, which is working under high pressure, in cool condition and prevents the heating thereof, and which worm urges the oil forwardly to other cooperating parts of the transmission mechanism; in other words, the teeth of the gear wheel in effect meters the oil constantly so that a uniform and plentiful supply is carried by each tooth to the worm.

I claim as my invention:

1. In aevehicle, the combination of an axle housing embodying an oil receptacle, rotary means iu said housing adapted to travel through and elevate the oil tnercin, a casing connected to the housing, a worm in the casing meshingr with and driving said. rotary means, and an oil conveyor in the axle housing extending from the lower to the upper side thereof and through which a. portionof the rotary means travels, said conveyor communicating with said casing whereby oil in the housing is carried upwardly by ,said rotary means and confined in the conveyor from the lower to the upper portion of the housing to be discharged into said casing for flooding the worm and which latter in turn distributes the koil to other mechanism.

2. In a vehicle, the combination, of an axle housing embodying an oil receptacle, a gearcasing connected to said housing, a driving- Worm in said casing, an axle in said housing,

a worm-wheel on said axle meshing with said Worm and driven thereby, and means 1n said 1 housing extending continuously from the lower to the upper portion thereof and partially enclosing the teeth ofsaid worm-wheel for distributing oil to said worm, said wormwheel elevating oil from said housing to said driving worm for lubricating the same and for distribution .thereby to other mechanisms.

3. In a vehicle, an axle-housing having an oil receptacle therein, an axle in said housing,

. a spiral trough in said housing for collecting oil therefrom and distributing the same to said axle, a worm-wheel associated. fwith 'said axle and traveling through said oil rel lng ceptacle, a conveyor in the receptacle and partially enclosing the periphery of said worm-wheel forV confining oil to be conveyed by the latter, and `a worm engagingsaid worm-wheel and driving the-latter to rotate said axle and to elevate oil by said wormwheel from said receptacle to said worm.

4. In a vehicle, an axle-housing embodying anoil retainer, a transmission casing asso- .cited with said housing, a worm in said casva worm-wheel in sald housing driven by said worm and rotating through'the oil retainer, and a boot communicating wlth said oil retainer and with said transmission casing for conveying oil from said retainer to said casing. y

5. In a vehicle, an axle housing, a wheel therein, a conveyer embodying bottom and sides extending from the lower to the upper side of the housing adjacent the periphery of said wheel and within which the rim of the wheel rotates, and a casing associated with said housing to which oil is delivered by said conveyer from the lower to the upper portion of said housing through the' rotary action of the wheel.A

6. In a vehicle, an axle-housing embodying an oil receptacle, a substantially semicircular trough-like conveyer extending from the lower to the upper portion of said housing, rotary means in said housing the periphery of which travels through said receptacle and said conveyer, and a worm meshing with and actuating said rotary means to conduct oil through said conveyer to said worm.

7. In a vehicle, a worm casing, a worm therein, an oil dam in said casing, an axle housingconnect-ed to said casin a worm wheel mounted in the housing an driven by said worm, and an oil conveyor in the housing extending from the-lower to the upper side thereof and terminating in proximity to said worm` casing whereby oil is conveyed from'. the housing to the casing for flooding and cooling the worm therein and lubricating'parts associated with vthe worm.

8. In a vehicle, the combination of an axle housing embodying an oil receptacle, a conveyor in the housing, a casing connected to the housing said casing having dams therein for retaining oil, a` worin in the casing, and a wheel in the housing driven by the worm a portion of said wheel rotating in said conlveyor for carrying oil from the housing and JOHN r. CRAWFORD.

discharging the same between the dams in sol 

